Tabitha's hands shook as she held the letter. So Wilmot was real but had died over four years ago. That's why Derek had assumed his identity.
Back then, she was consumed by self-hatred, and Derek, at a loss, had to protect her under another identity.
No wonder he'd blindfolded her that night. No wonder he knew all her preferences. No wonder she'd sensed Derek in him time and again.
Derek had never truly left.
The knot in Tabitha's heart was finally untied. Hedwig was Derek's child, just like Ayla and Helios.
The handwriting grew increasingly crooked toward the end, nearly illegible.
"Tabitha, I'm sorry. If there's a next life, let me love you again, okay?"
Tears dropped onto the letter as Tabitha's grip on it tightened, her emotions spiraling out of control.
"Tabitha, you and Alpha Derek have been through so much together. You know how much he loves you. You have no idea what he's been through these years. He suffered so much looking for you. This poisoning was just one of many close calls. He nearly died countless times."
"He did some bad things before, but he's a victim too, isn't he? He was deceived by Elena, who spun a web of lies around him."
"His family fell apart when he was young. He never knew parental love. He naively trusted Elena, but after years of searching, he found the truth. If you were in his shoes, wouldn't you be angry? Wouldn't you want revenge?"
"Then there's Randall's death, a heavy burden on his conscience. His best friend took a bullet for him and died. Randall's last wish was for him to take care of Daphne. He didn't want to marry her, but Daphne held a grudge. She kept saying that if Randall hadn't taken the bullet for him, Randall would still be alive, and she and her child would have a father. What could he do?"
"No matter what choice he made, it was tough on him. Tabitha, you suffered, but so did he. He endured the pain of abandoned family, the loss of his brother, and the agony of losing you. He's only human. He's allowed to make mistakes. You loved him so much before. Why can't you love him again?"
Spike's eyes were red. "Alpha Derek loved you and thought of you constantly. You were always in his heart and eyes. When you left, he let you go, even though it tormented him day and night. You have your child and your career. What does he have? Endless enemies, overwhelming responsibilities, a life in the line of fire. No matter how hard it got, he faced it alone."
Tabitha recalled the desolate figure of Derek leaving last night.
"When he came to the village, he was barely conscious. He didn't even know how he got in, yet he left alone. Who knows what might have happened to him..."
Spike's voice trailed off. Tabitha clutched the letter tightly. "He won't die. He's Derek."
She wiped her tears. "You go back and continue your leg treatment."
"And you?"
"I'm going to find him."
Tabitha changed into a fresh set of clothes and headed east. This path was relatively easier to navigate, though thick with miasma.
Unfortunately, Hedwig wasn't around, and she lacked the ability to communicate with animals.
The only creature she could command was the giant snake that had appeared outside her house on the day Hedwig was born.
It was a spiritual snake and the village's guardian deity, centuries old. No one knew its exact age.
Though venomous, it never harmed humans, and villagers didn't harm it in return.
After Hedwig's birth, it began to visit frequently. One day, when Hedwig touched it, the snake didn't show aggression but friendliness instead.
As Tabitha grew close to Hedwig, the snake became familiar with her too.
Tabitha held up Derek's bathrobe for the snake's help. The snake led her north.
North—cliffs and precipices!
He actually chose this path. Even villagers dared not venture there. Was he reckless?
Standing on the cliff, the wind blew her hair wildly. Below, clouds and mist obscured everything. No one could be seen.
Tabitha understood why Derek chose this path. Though dangerous, it was manageable as long as it didn't rain.
It was the only route free of toxins and beasts, with only natural hazards. He had rock-climbing experience.
But descending without tools was sheer madness. A misstep could lead to a fatal fall.
"Tabitha, do you think the boss took this path?"
Tabitha nodded. "His scent ends here. Look, there's a rope. He must have left it before he went."
"I'll go look for him now."
"No need. You don't know this mountain as well as I do, and with your leg injury, you need daily treatment and rest. You don't want to be a cripple for life, do you?"
"So, Tabitha's saying..."